Vehicle engines typically have a valve assembly that includes a valve guide mounted in the cylinder head and a valve having a stem that slides and reciprocates within a bore of the valve guide. Lubricating oil is splashed or misted onto the reciprocating valve stem to lubricate the interface between the valve guide and the valve stem. Although such lubrication is desirable for low friction and long life of the valve assembly, it is known that the consumption of oil through even the slowest attainable leakage between the stem and the seal can, over time, both consume oil and also lead to fouling of the catalytic converter.
It would be desirable to provide a valve guide assembly which would substantially eliminate oil consumption and yet still provide low friction and long life of the stem and seal components.